Australian Grand Prix LIVE
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Australia
Welcome to the Evening Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Australian Grand Prix as the 2019 Formula One season gets under way in Melbourne this weekend.
Defending champion Lewis Hamilton picked up where he left off by setting a new course record to qualify in pole for Sunday’s race, ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.
But the build-up to the season’s opener has been tinged with immense sadness following the sudden death of longstanding race director Charlie Whiting, who died at the age of 66 on Thursday.
Standard Sport will bring you all the action on race day, but stick with us for the build-up…
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Date and UK start time
The race starts on Sunday, March 17 at 4.10pm (5.10am). These times are, however, provisional and could be subject to delay.
TV channel and live stream
UK viewers will no longer have the luxury of being able to choose between the two rights holders for the race in Australia.
Sky Sports subscribers will be able to tune in for every live race in the 2019 season, but the same does not apply to terrestrial viewers.
Channel 4 recently downgraded their rights package which means they can only show highlights of qualifying sessions and races, with only the British Grand Prix scheduled for live coverage in the 2019 season.
Sky Sports subscribers can watch the entire race weekend live on the Sky Sports F1 channel (channel 408). If you don’t have Sky Sports, you can watch with a NOW TV Sky Sports Pass, which gives you exactly the same coverage without having to sign up to a contract.
Betting tips via Betfair | UK users only | Subject to change
Race winner
- Lewis Hamilton: 4/11
- Sebastian Vettel: 11/2
- Valtteri Bottas: 11/2
- Max Verstappen: 9/
Click here to find the latest race odds and place a bet.
Tickets
Those interested in attending the race only have a short window to purchase tickets which guarantee entry for the race weekend.
At the time of writing, F1 fans can still purchase general admission tickets, which allow you to perch anywhere around the circuit and watch the action unfold for the entire weekend. These have been priced at €137 (£118).
However, grandstand and seats in the assorted stands are all sold out.
Hospitality tickets are still available for both qualifying and race days. Click the link here to access Formula One's official ticket website
